Women in IT believe they are not receiving equal pay

Almost half of the women working in the IT industry in the UK believe their pay package is not comparable to that of their male counterparts, according to new research.

A survey by IT trade body Intellect asked whether women were being paid fairly, whether their company appreciates them, and how this impacts on their loyalty.

The Perceptions of Equal Pay survey, which questioned almost 450 female IT professionals, revealed that 49% believe they face gender pay discrimination.

More than six in 10 respondents believe their company does not have a transparent pay structure, while 67% were unsure oh whether their employer carries out an equal pay audit.

Nearly three-quarters of the women surveyed believe their opinion of their company would improve if their organisation conducted an equal pay audit, while 80% said equal pay audits should be compulsory.

Gillian Arnold, chair of Intellect’s Women in IT forum, said: “Whether the pay gap is perceived or real, it is something which will make women act. If a woman believes that her salary is less than that of her peers, for the same work and experience, then she will be prompted to look elsewhere.

“Current thinking suggests that transparency on salaries and benefits packages can help enormously, and can avoid unnecessary publicity and legal fees.”